Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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Dog Joke
There was a dog convention going on. The dogs were told to
check in and hang their rear-ends up on the wall for display. The
convention hall caught on fire! Dogs were yelling, "Fire! fire!,
everybody just grab a rear-end and escape!" That's why dogs go
around smelling each other's butts today, they're trying to locate
their own.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Co workers ; Michigan Consolidated Gas Company
James Callow Keyword(s): Origin of animal behavior
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal PROSE NARRATIVE -- Jest Anecdote |
Date learned: 00001980S
Meanings of the Pentacle
The following again was told to me by Carol, who has been a
practicing witch. She was a member of a coven based in Michigan.
The pentacle has a rich history in the magical and spiritual customs
of many cultures. In Greece it was the symbol of Demeter's daughter
Kore, the goddess of vegetation and the fruits of the field, because
the apple contains a star composed of five seeds in its core.
Pythagorean mystics honored the pentacle, which they called
"Pentalpha", because it consisted of five interwoven alphas: the Greek
letter "A", which stood for birth and beginnings. In Egypt a
five-pointed star represented the great underground womb of Mother
Earth. The Celtic tribes also saw it as a sign of the Goddess of the
Underworld, Morgan. In Babylon the pentacle was an amulet of
protection and healing. In Judeo-Christian traditions the pentacle
was the first of the Seven Seals, which represented the secret name of
God; and King Solomon wore a pentacle on his ring as a sign of his
power to work magic. Among the old European tribespeople the pentacle
represented the Horned God, a shapeshifter who had five
manifestations: a human, a bull, a ram, a goat, and a stag.
The star is always drawn with one continuous stroke, with one point
upright.
James Callow comment:
Puckett, Ohio, no. 25634: "Five fingers or anything to do with
five will protect you from the evil eye (Moslem)."
Puckett, Ohio, no. 26650: "Find the sign of the Pantagram on your
hand, you will be a victim of the werewolf."
Hand, North Carolina, no. 6027: "The claim for five (as "nearly
always" a lucky number) is not borne out in the literature, except,
perhaps for certain North American Indian tribes."
Cannon, Utah: "Five and multiples of five are lucky" (no. 11557);
"The five fingers of the hand, or any design or phrase associated with
the number five will protect against bad
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MANCHESTER
James Callow Keyword(s): Five as apotropaic number.
| Subject headings: | 686 Fifths 686 Seven / Sevenths / Several |
Date learned: 01-00-1992
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Martin Luther King Holiday
This holiday (the 3rd Monday of January) was passed in honor
of a man (born January 15, 1929) who stood for peace and equality
for all. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee (1968) at the
age of 39. It is the first legal holiday honoring a Black or
Afro-American. In 1986, the automotive industry started
celebrating the Monday following Easter (called "Easter Monday")
as its holiday honoring Dr. King. As of this year (1992), the
automotive industry has two "paid holidays" honoring Dr. King.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Black History
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Winter CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Monday Dyngus BELIEF -- Religious hero BELIEF -- Secular hero |
Torch Night
At Dominican High School in Detroit (all female), one of the
traditions is "Torch Night." When a student is a sophomore, a
junior picks her as her "Torch Night Partner," or "Torchie." The
two students spend the next year getting to know each other and
becoming closer. The next year, when the junior (who is now a
senior) is ready to graduate, there is a night called "Torch
Night." It is held in the auditorium and the partners stand next
to each other. There are readings and speeches, and then the
senior passes a votive--the torch-- to the junior, thereby passing
on the torch of leading the school. The junior, in turn, gives her
senior partner a rose as a promise to her to carry on the torch and
also as a goodbye gift of love. This has been a tradition at
Dominican High School for many years. As each partner passes on
the torch, there remains a connection that was begun many years
before.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): SYMBOLS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School |
Date learned: 00-00-1984
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New Shoes (A Poem)
When I am walking down the street,
I do like to watch my feet.
Perhaps you do not know the news,
Mom has bought me fine new shoes.
When the left one squeaks I do not speak,
I listen to its bappy beat.
Submitter comment:
I learned this when I was a kid from Mrs. Green, my school
teacher. I've always told it to my children and they still say
it whenever they buy new shoes.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): happy beat?
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
IN OBERAMERGAUE, GERMANY DURING CHRISTMAS TIME, THEY
HOLD A PASSION PLAY, DEPICTING THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; GERMANY ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): BIRTH OF OUR LORD=CHRISTMAS. ; SOME CONTRADICTION HERE--PASSION PLAY=CRUCIFIXION.
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Christmas Season See F645.2 for Advent Season. |
Date learned: 12-00-1967
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Autograph Rhyme
Each life's an album, every page
From fair haired youth to gray old age
Is writ in prose or story.
God grant your life and album be
Filled up with records good to see
The "finis" found in Glory.
Submitter comment:
Found in autograph book from the 1880's
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): AGE ; Album ; AUTOGRAPH ; Elderly ; Glory ; Gray ; Old ; Record ; RHYME ; Signature ; Story ; VERSE ; Young ; YOUTH
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
WE HAVE NO RELIGION IN JAPAN. WE EXCHANGE GREETING CARDS
WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES ON JANUARY FIRST, NEW YEAR'S
DAY. NOT TO DO SO IS IMPOLITE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; JAPAN ; ANN ARBOR
Keyword(s): WHAT ABOUT SHINTO
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 7 |
Date learned: 02-04-1968
CANDLES ARE LIT IN THE WINDOW TO LIGHT THE WAY OF MARY
AND JOSEPH.
Submitter comment: FROM FAMILY WHEN YOUNG.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
Keyword(s): SYMBOL
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 25 Christmas Also see F642, below. CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 21 solstice to March 20 Lights and candles |
Date learned: 11-26-1967